1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collapsible tent for truck beds and the like, and more particularly to such a tent which is rapidly and conveniently mounted on and dismounted from such a bed, is light in weight, is low in cost, and is particularly adapted for use with small pickups and four-wheel drive vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes well-known portable enclosures, such as tents and camper shells, for mounting on a truck bed. Insofar as is known to the applicant, none of these prior art devices meet the need for an enclosure which is mounted on a truck bed for use and yet can be readily dismounted and compactly stowed for transportation to a campsite or the like.
Prior art tents are relatively expensive and slow to erect since they generally include elements secured to the ground to support the roof and upper portions of the walls of the tent. These elements also increase the bulk of a tent when it is in a collapsed configuration for stowage. Prior art camper shells for the bed of a pickup truck or the like utilize the bed for support, but, heretofore, substantial portions of these shells have been permanently assembled. The shells thus must be relatively bulky to provide sufficient interior room and, as a result, project upwardly and outwardly from the bed. Such shells therefore cannot be used when vehicles, typically four-wheel drive vehicles, are operated on narrow roads with limited vertical and horizontal clearances due to trees, rocks, and the like. Even where limited clearances are not a problem, the bulky structure of such a shell results in its being relatively heavy and expensive and thus not well suited for occasional use or for use where it is desired to mount and dismount the shell frequently.
It has long been recognized as highly advantageous to provide a collapsible tent for a truck bed or the like which can be readily erected when an enclosure is needed for living quarters and then readily dismantled and stowed when the truck is on the road. It has also been recognized as especially advantageous if the tent is relatively low in cost, light in weight, and even suited for operation of the vehicle at moderate speeds with the tent in an erect configuration.